Beloved Austin humor columnist John Kelso has passed away

Beloved Austin humor columnist John Kelso has passed away

John Kelso, longtime humor columnist for the Austin American-Statesman, passed away on Friday, July 28.

"Kelso, an endlessly funny writer and genuinely sweet guy, was 73. Going on 12," reads an obituary published by the Statesman. His death was the result of complications from a fall; a second battle with cancer, which he was diagnosed with in 2015, had left him weakened, reports the Statesman.

For 40 years the satirist penned a well-loved humor column for the Statesman that poked fun at — and championed — Austin culture. He was also a top-notch reporter and the author of three humor books: Bubba (he's the one with his tongue hanging out), Texas Curiosities, and Confessions of a Professional Smart Ass.

Kelso was born in Oklahoma and raised in Maine. "But he got to South Austin as fast as he could, and really never left," says the Statesman.